Gyroscopic apparatus



a. z. VON MANTEUFFEL ,2 7,371

GYROSCOPIC APPhRATUS Filed Deed 25, 193'?" t 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 c. 2: VON MANTEUFFEL 2,27,371

GYROSCOPIC APPARATUS Filed Dec.

25, 1937 :4: Sheets-Sheet 5 [l1 yer/"for".-

I 31, 1940. a. z. VON MANTEUFFEL 2273M GYROSGOPI C APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 23, 193

atented Dec. 31, 1940 'craoscorro APPARATUS Gert Zoegc-von manner, Berlin-Dahlem. Ger-- many, a

ssigncr to Wet-kc A. G. vormals CentraJwei'kstatt-Dessau and Carl Bamberg-Friedenau, a corporation of Germany Application December 23, 1931, Serial No. 181,439 In Germany December 23. 1936 This invention relates to improvements in gyroscopic apparatus, more particularly to gyroscopes having three degrees of freedom and combined with relays for actuating remote indicators or an automatic steering device.

A gyroscope having three degrees of freedom and represented for example by the gyro vex-ti cal or the directional gyroscope usually includes,

as is Well-known in the art, 'a gimbal ring in which the rotor bearing member or casing is mounted about an inner or minor axis at right angles to the spinning axis of the gyro rotor, while the gimbal ring is mounted for movements about a major or outer axis at right angles to the inner or minor axis. Where a relay is to be actuated in response to movements of the gyroscope about the inner or minor axis, a problem is presented as to how to actuate the relay from the gyroscope proper without exerting a reaction on the same and without moving relatively heavy parts.

It is an object of this invention .to provide a simple and reliable gyroscopic apparatus in combination with a relay which is actuated in re.

sponse to movements of the gyroscope about its minor axis.

According to this invention a motion transmitting member is' provided for actuating the relay, the motion transmitting member being coaxially arranged with the major axis of the gimbal ring and moved in axial direction in response to movements of the rotor bearing memher or casing'about the minor axis.

Further aims, objects, and advantages of this invention will appear from a consideration of the description which follows with the'accompanying drawings showing for purely illustrative purposes embodiments of this invention.. It is to be understood, however, that the description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, the scopeof this invention being defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 isa sectional plan view of a gyroscope according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the instru ment shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an element of the instrument shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is another embodiment of this invention. A rotor bearing member or casing I is mounted in a gimbal ring II for movement about a minor axis 3- -3 in antifriction bearings l2 and it". The gimbal ring H, in turn, is mounted in the front part ll of the instrument casing in a bearing'lfi and in the rear part 26 of the casing secured'thereto in'a bearing l5.- ,F'Ihe bearings i and I6 define the major axis i -4.

The front part M of the instrument casing may be provided with a front window I! behind which a mask I8 is visible. The mask I8 is connected to the gimbal ring by means of a bracket l9 causing the mask to move with the gimbal ring A pointer secured to or integral with an arm. 2! may be provided for indicating movements of the gyroscope about the minor axis 33. In the illustrated embodiment the arm 2! is pivoted at 22 and provided with a slot 23 into which a pin 24 of the rotor beaming casing It projects. The pointer 20 is accordingly caused to move relatively to the mask giving indications of the gyroscope about its minor axis. A slot -25 in the rotor bearing member permits of movements of the pin 24 about the axis 33.

To the front part I I of the instrument casing a rear part 26 is secured by means of screws 21, the rear end of the casing 26 being closed by a cover 28.

Air at atmospheric pressure enters the casing through an aperture 29 provided with a filter 30 in the rear part of the casing and passes through a channel 3! and passages 32 into a conduit 33 in the gimbal ring H, whence it enters through similar passages 34 in the bearing l2 into the rotor bearing casing ill. From the rotor bearing casing air escapes through apertures or ports 35 controlled by the usual pendulous shutters 35 and is withdrawn from the interior of the instrument casing through a pipe coupling 31.

A relay or pick-ofi is :rovided to be actuated in response to movements of the gyroscope about the minor axis 3-3. In the illustrated embodiment a pick-off of the well-known Askania jetpipe type 'is shown comprising a jet-pipe 38 pivoted at 39 and supplied with air at atmospheric pressure through a conduit 40. The jetpipe issues a jet of air into reception orifices ll and 42 depending upon the relative position of the jet-pipe and the orifices; Pipe couplings 43' and 44 are provided for connecting conduits to the reception orifices M and #2. respectively. In the drawings conduits 45 and 46 are indicated leading to a cylinder 41 in which a piston 48 is movable. A piston rod 49 connects the piston with a control surface 50 through a link 5|.

For actua ing the relay a motion transmitting member 52 is provided rotatably engaging a fork 53 which is pivotally connected to the movable part 015 the relay, the jet pipe 38, at 54. The

other end of the motion transmitting member 52 is pivotally connected at 55 to a single armed lever 55, the lever being secured to a shaft till. To the shaft a second lever 58 is secured having a pin 59 engaging a cam opening to in a sector shaped cam member 66 dovetailed to the arm Q3 at 62. The shaft 57 is pivotally mounted at 53 and lid in an arm 55 secured to or integral with the gimbal ring Ii. In Fig. 2 a part of the arm is broken away at 66 to show the cam opening 653.

When the rotor bearing casing Ill tilts about the axis 33, the arm 3i is actuated moving the member SI and causing the pin 59 to move into the inner or outer concentric part of the'cam opening 69. The levers 56 and 58 are turned in one direction or the other in response to the movements of the pin 5Q causing the jet-"pipe to register with one or the other of the orifices ll and 42, thereby setting up pressures in the same which are a function of the movements of the gyroscope about the minor axis.

When at the same time the gyroscope tilts about the major axis 44, the relay 38 will not be affected as in response to such movements the motion transmitting member 52 may freely rotate relatively to the fork 53 without moving the jet-pipe. The motion transmitting member 52 together with the fork 53 constitutes a universal joint transmitting only axial but no rotary movemerits of the motion transmitting member.

In the illustrated embodiment a second relay or pick-oil" is provided for creating pressure im pulses in response to movements of the gyroscope about the major axis 6-8. A-jet-pipe 5'7! pivoted at 68 and I59 is actuated by a lever ll? having a pin II guided in a curved notch E2 of a disk 713,.

thedisk being rigidly secured to'the gimbal ring II. Air is supplied to the jet-pipe through an opening it and a passage 15. Pressure impulses so will thus be created in the reception orifices associated with the jet-pipe 6i and visible more particularly on Fig. 3 at E6 and IT. A conduit 18 leads to a pipe coupling 19. A second conduit 90 connects the reception orifice F1 with a further pipe coupling not visible on the drawing.

In Fig. 2 the cam opening 60 is shown as comprising 'two sections concentric to the axis 22. It is apparent that upon a relatively slight movement of the gyroscope about its minor axis the pin 59 will be moved into one or the other of the matic steering devices where it is dwirable to obtain strong impulses for actuating the rudder upon relatively small deviations from the predetermined course or attitude.

A modified form of a cam member is shown in Fig. 4, wherein the cam opening 60' in the member 6| is continuously curved, causing the relay to assumea definite position for each position of the rotor bearing member relatively to the gimbal ring. This form is preferred for operating remote indicators.

Another embodiment of this invention is shown in Fig. 5. A rotor bearing casing H0 is mounted in a gimbal ring III in bearings H2 and Ill! de-' fining the minor axis 3-3. The gimbal ring, in

turn, is mounted in an instrument casing Hi l in bearings H5 and H5 defining the major axis i-d. Air is supplied to the gyro rotor through a screened aperture I29, a conduit I33, and passages I32 into a conduit in the gimbal ring,

whence it reaches the interior of the rotor b ering casing llll through similar passages in the hearing I l2. Air is withdrawn from the instrument casing through a pipe coupling I31.

To the rotor bearing casing a disk IN is secured having a. groove I60 in which a pin I59 of a lever I58 is guided. The lever is secured to a shaft it? mounted for movement in bearings I63 and I55 and carries a seconddever I56 to which a rod I52 is pivotally connected. The other end of the rod terminates in a ball I86 forming a universal joint with a socketltt, the construction of which is in all other respects similar to the jetpipe 88 shown in Fig. 1. Reception conduits MI and I62 lead to pipe couplings I43 and I 34.

A second jet-pipe relay including a movable jet-pipe it? pivoted at I68 and IE9 is'provided for creating pressure impulses in response to movements of the gyroscope about the major axis. A lever I10 is for this purpose provided for moving the jet pipe, the lever having a pin I'II guided in a. cam opening I12 of a disk I13.

Upon a movement of the gyroscope about the major axis 3--3 the levers I58 and I56 will cause the rod to move back and forth through the central opening of the bearing II5. The relay I38 will not be afl'ected by movements of the gyroscope about the major axis 4-4, the ball and socket joint I and I8! permitting a rotary movement of the rod I 52 relatively to the fork The diflerential pressure impulses created by the respective relay may be utilized to operate remote indicators or an automatic steering device in a well-known manner.

Obviously,. the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment herein shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of this invention be used coniointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and subcombinations. j

What is claimed is:

1. Gyroscopic apparatus comprising, in combination, an instrument support; agimbal ring mounted on said support for movement about a first axis; a rotor bearing member mounted in said gimbal ring for movement about a second axis normal to said first axis; a gyro rotor mounted in said bearing member for spinning about athird axis; a pick-off movably mounted on said support; a motion transmitting member disposed coaxlally with said first axis and connected to said pick-oil to move the same; a lever pivoted on said gimbal ring, means for oscillating said lever by a relative tilting of said rotor bearing member and gimbal ring about said second axis, means for connecting said lever to said motion transmitting member to move the same axially in the direction of the first axis upon oscillation of said lever, thereby actuating the pickol'l' without interfering with the movements of the bearing member about either axis.

2. Gyroscopic apparatus comprising, in combination, aninstrument support; a gimbal ring mounted on said support for movement about a first axis; a rotor bearing member mounted in said gimbal ring for movement about a second axis normal to said first axis; a gyro rotor mounted in said bearing member for spinning about a third axis; a relay mounted on said support; a motion transmitting member disposed coaxially with said firstaxis and connected to actuate said relay; a lever pivotally mounted on said gimbal ring said lever having a slot; 2. pin on said rotor bearing member engaging said slot for actuating said lever and means for transmitting movements of said lever into movements directed coaxially with said first axis said means being connected to move said motion transmitting member in the direction of the first axis, thereby actuating the relay without interfering with the movements of the bearing member about the first and second axes.

3. Gyroscopic apparatus comprising, in combination, an instrument support; a gimbal ring mounted on said support for movement about a first axis; a rotor bearing member mounted in said gimbal ring for movement about a second axis normal to said first axis; a gyro rotor mount- 1 ed in said bearing member for spinning about a third axis; a relay mounted on said support; a motion transmitting member disposed coaxially with said first axis and connected to actuate said relay; a lever pivotally mounted on said gimbal a ring said lever having a slot; a pin on said rotor bearing member engaging said slot for actuating said lever; a cam moved by said lever; an angle lever mounted on said gimbal ring engaging the surface of said cam and connected to move said motion transmitting member in the direction of the first axm, thereby actuating the relay without interfering with the movements of thebearing member about the first and second axes.

l. Gyroscopic apparatus comprising, in combination, an instrument support; a gimbal ring mounted on said support for movement about a first axis; a rotor bearing member mounted in said gimbal ring for movement about a second axis normal to said first axis: a gyro rotor mounted in said bearing member for spinning about a third axis; a relay mounted on said support; motion transmitting means disposed substan tially coaxially with the first axis and including a universal joint said means being connected to actuate said relay; and means carriedby said gimbal ring and actuated by a relative movement of said rotor bearing member and gimbal ring about said second axis for moving said motion transmitting means axially in the direction of the first axis, thereby actuating the relay without interfering with the movement of the bearing member about the first and second axes.

5. Artificial horizon comprising, in combination, an instrument casing; a gimbal ring mounted in said casing for movement abouts. first substantially horizontal axis: a rotor bearing member mounted in said gimbal ring for movement about a second substantially horizontal axis normal to said first axis; a gyro rotor mounted in said bearing member for spinning about a normally horizontal axis; a pointer arm pivotally mounted on said gimbal ring said am having a slot; 0. pin on said rotor bearing member engaging said slot :tor actuating said pointer arm; a cam surface on said arm; a relay mounted in, said casing; and motion transmitting means disposed substantially coaxially with the first axis and including a universal joint for actuating said relay, said means being arranged to be actuated by the cam surface. 6. Gyroscopic apparatus comprising, in combination, an instrument support; a gimbal ring; pivot bearings for mounting said gimbal ring on said support for movement about a first axis, a rotor bearing membermounted in said gimbal r1118 for movement about a second axis normal an air fiow pick-off movably mounted on said support: a: motion transmitting member disposed coaxially with said first axis, and connected tosaid pick-oi: to actuate the same, a horizon barpivoted on saidgimbal ring, means connecting said bar and bearing member to be actuated by a relative movement of said rotor bearing member and gimbal ring about said second axis, and a rock shaft connected to said motion transmitting member and said bar ior moving said member in the direction of the first axis.

7. Gyroscopic apparatus comprising, in combination, an instrument support; a gimbal ring; pivot bearings for mounting said gimbal ring on said support for movement about a first axis, at least one of said pivot bearings having a central opening; a rotor bearing member mounted in said gimbal ring for movement about a second axis normal to the first axis; a gyro rotor mounted in said bearing member for spinning about a third axis; a rod disposed coaxiaily with said first axis and extending through the opening in one pivot bearing; a universal joint connected to one end of said rod; a relay mounted on said support and connected to be actuated by axial movements of said rod and joint; and means carried by said gimbal ring and actuated by a relative movement oi said rotor bearing member and gimbal ring about said second axis for moving said motion transmitting rod and joint in the direction of the first axis, thereby actuating the relay without interfering with the movements of the bearing member about the first and second axes.

8. An air fiow pick-oi! for both axes of a gyroscopic artificial horizon mounted within its casing with its major axis fore and aitand its minor axis athwartships; and having a horizon bar, a jet pipe pivoted through a hollow shaft parallel to said major axis, means for oscillating said pipe by relative tilting of the said casing about said major axis, a second jet pipe pivoted through a hollow shaft parallel to said minor axis and means for rocking said last named pipe upon tilting of said casing about said minor axis including a rod in line with said major axis and means connecting said bar and rod for axially sliding the rod upon relative up and down movement of the bar.

9. An air flow pick-cit for both axes of a gyroscopic artificial horizon mounted within its casing with its major axis fore and ait and its minor axis athwartahips, a jet pipe pivoted through a the same upon relative tilting oi the caring about its minor axis.

osa'r zones ou mm 

